From Darkness It Comes
Finding Mr. Stark
Darrin and Lisa slip out of the dorms and into the quad as evening starts to unfold around them. The darkness that once simply fell upon the ground like a soft blanket, filled with pools of light from the walkway lamps scattered about, now seems to swirl around them just outside of their vision. Waiting for the right time to envelop them along with the rest. They walk huddled closer together and arms around each other's waists.
"Where should we start?" Lisa's voice is soft and distant.
"Where else?" Darrin says with certainty. "His shelter behind the Jacobs' Hall."
"Great." Lisa's voice sounds very small as she clings tighter to Darrin's side.
They walk around the quad to where Jacobs' Hall stands tall and the thin gravel path winds around the back, unlit and growing dark. Without pause Darrin starts down the path with Lisa in tow and disappears from common view around the corner.
The two of them make their way to the metal door of the shed built into the side of the hill behind the hall and find it locked. Darrin tried forcing it but his strength is nowhere near enough to move the solid metal door, locked from the other side. Frustrated but unwilling to give up he starts to beat heavily on the door to try and rouse the attention of whoever would be inside. Hoping it would be Mr. Stark.
"Come Out Here!" He yells at the door. "Show Yourself!"
A couple lights shine out of windows in the building above and a couple faces show themselves at those windows, but the door stays closed and silent.
Darrin beats on the door again and yells. "Open! Damn You!"
More lights appear above and some open. Heads poke out and look down at the two of them, but Darrin notices none of this. Lisa grips him close, trying to calm him down while watching the onlookers grow more interested in their actions.
"He's not here Tiger." She glances up again before looking him right in the eyes. "And people are starting to wonder what you're up to."
Darrin looks confused for a second and then glances up himself, noticing the watchers in the windows for the first time. He grimaces and closes his eyes for a moment before looking Lisa in the face again. Without a word he simply nods at her and together they start to walk back around the hall, along the darkened trail.
The shadows seem to pulsate with an almost tangible life of their own and Darrin can feel the eyes of many upon him, even though there is nothing he can actually see watching. The darkness is truly coming and he knows of no way to stop it.
You have to find Mr. Stark. His brain demands. He will know what to do.
They break out of the uncomfortable darkness of the trail and into a warm pool of light cast along the edge of the quad by a lamp that flickered to life as the sun started to set. He lets out an audible sigh of relief and lightens his hold on Lisa.
"So now what?" She asks with a look of hope. "Should we try the book store now?"
He thinks about it a moment, knowing she would rather not have to deal with Mr. Stark again, but also knowing that the spooky old man knows more about what is going on here than anyone. Steeling himself up for the task he decides to...